PRTC to start special buses for women from June

The Pepsu Roadways Transport Corporation (PRTC) is all set to start special buses for women. This is for the first that any public transport corporation is going to run special buses for the convenience of women passengers.

If the PRTC management is to be believed, special buses will be introduced anytime in the first week of June on seven important routes finalised during the survey.

The PRTC has earlier made all arrangements to introduce these special buses but the model code of conduct for parliamentary elections had stalled the plans of the management to start it before election process, which is going to end on May 16.

As per available information, the PRTC has identified seven routes witnessing heavy rush of students and working women, including the Patiala-Samana, Patiala-Nabha, Patiala-Sangrur, Patiala-Chandigarh, Bathinda-Malout and Bathinda-Dabwali routes.

The PRTC authorities will make changes in their existing schedule instead of launching new buses for this purpose.

PRTC managing director Bhupinder Singh Rai said though they were yet to finalise the date but they were hopeful to start the buses in the first week of June.

“The routes have been finalised after carrying out a survey held to collect information regarding rush hours at identified routes,” he said.

He added that its implementation could not be carried out earlier due to electioneering but now the decks had been cleared.

“These buses will help women to feel safe and convenient while travelling in public transport services”, he said.

Instead of male conductors, these buses will have female conductors, already on the rolls of the PRTC, while no male passenger would be allowed to board these buses, except male family members and relatives accompanying women passengers.